The specific heat of alcohol is about half that of water. Suppose you have 0.5 kg of alcohol at the temperature 20 °C in one container, and 0.5 kg of water at the temperature 30 °C in a second container. When these fluids are poured into the same container and allowed to come to thermal equilibrium,

(a) Is the final temperature greater than, less than, or equal to 25 °C?

(b) Choose the best explanation from among the following:

I. The low specific heat of alcohol pulls in more heat, giving a final temperature that is less than 25 °C.

II. More heat is required to change the temperature of water than to change the temperature of alcohol. Therefore, the final temperature will be greater than 25 °C.

III. Equal masses are mixed together; therefore, the final temperature will be 25 °C, the average of the two initial temperatures.